Chapter 5
No Matter the Cost
Cora
My teeth ground together as I stripped off my bloody clothes before I stepped into the bathtub. He saw right through the entire act, and I wanted to be angry, but the faint sense of astonishment fought its way to the surface.
Fucking male.
Sinking into the warm water of the solid gold tub, my head leaned back onto the edge and my hair flipped outside the tub. Staring at the ceiling, I started counting the small golden stars carved into the stone above.
There weren't many places in this Fates-forsaken place that weren’t gold, gilded, and covered in shiny opulence.
When I first arrived here in Whitbourne, I was just happy to be back with Silvana after years apart.
I’d successfully pushed my parents’ brutal murder into the back of my mind, behind the mental stone wall that I’d begun learning to erect when faced with emotions I wasn’t sure how to process.
It had taken a while for me to even really notice the shiny view of the castle around me, or how unusual it looked against the snow-covered mountains and the shacks Keres allowed his subjects to live in.
Not to mention the wall he’d erected around his home.
As if any day now he expected the people of his court to rise up against him, and he needed to be prepared.
It would be funny if he wasn’t more than likely correct in his assumptions.
Small tinkering noises of Camilla rummaging around my bathing room, preparing my outfit and everything we’d need to prepare me for court tonight, brought me from my inner musings.
Some saw Camilla as my lady’s maid, but I knew better. I was no lady—perhaps in another life, but not this one–and Camilla was no maid.
No, Camilla was one of Keres’s whores he kept around for fun to stroke his ego when the rest of his concubine didn’t do well enough.
She was disguised as a maid in order to better spy on me and report back to Keres what I was up to.
She’d been one step behind me since the day I’d been released and Silvana was gone.
In her mind, we were dear friends, and—again—in another life maybe we could’ve been.
Even in this life I’d thought we were for a short time.
I thought Keres sent her to me to keep me company with Silv gone.
But that was before I was forced to open my eyes.
Before I was forced to undeniably see what had been in front of me all along.
Before I had to sacrifice myself to save my sister.
Many would’ve been bitter holding the hand I’d been dealt, but I was thankful it was me and not Silvana.
I’d gotten her out of here and away from this world—away from him.
Now she was happy, mated to a male who would care for her. I’d read about him in the small library we were allowed. Raiden.
He was powerful, one to be feared if the stories were true.
But somehow, even with his power, every story about his rise to taking hold of the Court of Shadows spoke of a reverence towards him.
As if each writer had a sense of fear but also a sense of respect when faced with the ‘Shadow King’ himself.
Silvana deserved all of that happiness and while I wished to be by her side again, I wished for her happiness all the more. Even if it didn’t include me.
“My Lady?” Camilla questioned, my eyes opening once more to meet hers. Her voice was quiet, submissive. Cedar came to mind before I could stop the thoughts. Docile looks foul on you. The words had been on repeat in my mind since they’d exited his lips.
Docile—obedient, submissive, quiet, malleable.
The list went on and on. Things people had used to describe me over the many years I’d been stuck here.
None of them were wrong. I’d perfected the act I’d put about when I was out in the court.
I had to. It was either play the part, or die. I chose life—always.
It was the same sound of many of the females here. At least the ones who survived for a decent length of time. The thoughts circled throughout my mind as a memory took over.
The sculpture was perfect once more, just in time for court to start. I’d hoped Master would be pleased. Quickly falling into line with all of the other ladies of the evening, I focused on what was to come.
There were around fifty of us today, our eyes towards the floor as we followed each other into the brightening gold-domed room. He’d just had the floors redone in a darker gold to complement the ceiling and I’d tried not to be overbearing when telling him I thought it looked magnificent.
I found a pillow towards the front where I’d always sat. This used to be Silv’s spot, but when I’d been welcomed back, Keres asked me to take it. A sign, that surely he’d forgiven me for my mistake in letting her out of the castle.
The other females gathered around the room—some of them were vampires like me, while others were human. They never lasted long, but if I focused ahead and not behind me, it was easier to simply not notice when one went missing. There were always whispers though, and those were harder to ignore.
A hush settled around the room as he entered, a smile on his face. I couldn’t see him, my gaze to the ground, but I could feel it all the same.
He picked the female beside me first, my inner confidence refusing to dim over not being picked. It was fine. Master always picked multiples, and I was always on the list. No need to fret over it.
As sounds filled the room with his love, I focused on keeping my magic at bay. Keeping my inner thoughts calm and grateful. Her voice sliced through my concentration.
“I don’t like that.” Her words echoed in the otherwise silent room. A collective holding of breath.
“Excuse me?”
“I said, I don’t like that,” she repeated, this time louder and more concise.
It was as if something inside of me forced my eyes to rise and meet them up on the dais.
Logically, I knew I shouldn’t, but it happened anyway.
Master rose above her, pulling his dagger from his belt loop.
It all happened so fast that there was no helping the human beneath his clutches, even if I wanted to.
His knife slid across her throat without pause. He used a corner of her dress to clean off his weapon before calling one of the guards to remove her body.
Moments. That was all it took before his gaze turned to mine.
“Cora, you’re next, little dove.”
But he didn’t move, only I did. Meeting him there as I knelt in the puddle of blood the human had left behind.
“My Lady?” The repeated phrase had me feeling bitter as Camilla looked me over, pulling me from the memories, her whispered questions on a loop. Did she notice the soft exchange forced upon us? How we weren’t allowed to speak aloud or question anything?
Sadly Camilla was the type of female who welcomed it, instead of banishing such things.
“Are you almost finished? We need to get your hair ready for court,” Camilla continued. I didn’t need to answer. There wasn’t much of a point. She was right, I had to get ready, and letting the shifter or unchanged memories of the past infiltrate my walls was not a mistake I’d make again.
I stood in the still warm water, letting the liquid splash about as I stepped out and into the awaiting robe she had open for me.
Shrugging the warm material up and over my shoulders, I stepped away from her so I could tighten it myself.
I hated being touched, especially by her.
It felt like an extension of Keres and it made my skin crawl.
How had I gotten here? I used to feel, to want, to crave.
I released a breath before walking back over towards where she patiently waited.
I had to act normally, no reason to draw attention to myself.
I’d already failed the simple task he’d given me and I knew it was only a matter of time before he asked me how it went, and I had to lie to him—something I had to work at and carefully craft.
Something I had to prepare, and I never knew if he bought it.
“Okay, I’m ready,” I said quietly as I forced myself to plaster the small timid voice back in place for the rest of the evening. I had a show to perform and a male to please. Hopefully a room to hide in later if I was lucky.
I walked into the court’s entertainment room for an evening of pleasure and fun, as Keres so proudly called it.
What he meant was, a giant orgy where we all took turns bouncing on his cock in hopes of being impregnated with his spawn.
The room was a massive circle with a domed golden ceiling and an ice statue of the male himself.
Chaise lounges scattered around the space and pillows were placed throughout where we were supposed to kneel until he was ready for us.
Normal court required attire that adorned my curves.
Camilla had picked it out, but calling it clothing was being kind.
The gown may as well have been made from the curtains that surrounded us.
Sheer sparkling gold fabric wrapped around my breasts, cut down the middle, and then wrapped around my hips in four panels to cover the ‘important parts that were to be left for Keres’.
It left most of my legs, back, and sides exposed and if it weren’t for the magic that kept this room warm I would surely die of exposure due to the snow and cold.
Not that vampires could die from exposure—but it still was unfortunate attire given the weather and opened windows of this room.
No jewelry was allowed to be worn during the court’s entertainment days, as it got in the way of the fun. Hair was to be worn up in a high ponytail, and out of our faces. Because once again, it couldn’t get in the way.
As I walked into the room, I shook off the discomfort I always felt here and buried any feelings of distaste, anxiety, and displeasure.
Essentially, any feelings at all. They went into a small box deep in my subconscious, so instead I could worry about breathing through this one last time and then move on.